There are several percussion musical instruments capable of creating a rhythm. For example, shakers and drums are types of percussion capable of generating rhythmic patterns by being shaken (i.e., maracas) or struck (i.e., drums or bongos). Typically, shakers contain striker material freely disposed in an enclosed shaker. Drums contain a skin, or head, stretched outside an open chamber and are struck by hand or with a stick or mallet to produce sound. In contrast, shakers are rarely struck to produce sound, and drums are not shaken to produce sound. However, there are limitations to shakers and drums. While a percussionist may produce sound variations and rhythmic patterns when using a shaker or drum, a single instrument is not capable of being played simultaneously as both a shaker and drum, with a wide range of performance techniques. Additionally, shakers and drum categories are limited in scale (i.e., maracas), which further reduces the amount of sound variety achieved with a single instrument.
There are a limited number of percussion instruments that can be used as shakers. These instruments are limited in their architectural features, scale and intended performance application and playing technique.
One instrument, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,485 (“the '485 patent”), is a shaker instrument that requires baffles for each and every chamber/compartment. The '485 patent requires compartment walls that must be placed in an opposite facing direction for the baffles to achieve maximum effect. Additionally, the baffles must be placed mid-instrument. Furthermore, the '485 patent is limited to the use of a tube-shaped instrument.
Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,678 (“the '678 patent”), has chamber walls that are permanently affixed to the outer wall of the instrument, creating distinct chambers that are immovable and fixed. Because of this, the instrument cannot be entirely muted when held in a tight grasp by the user. Additionally, this instrument cannot be played as intended if it is scaled to a large diameter that exceeds the performer's span of reach or height. The instrument has multiple outer walls fused to the various sound chambers. The '678 patent also specifies that a drum head is fixed onto the instrument in order to be used for drumming. The instrument disclosed in the '678 patent is not practically scaled to very small sizes because it is intentionally meant to be performed as a tambourine or drum-like instrument.
In addition, PCT publication WO2014/025351 discloses an instrument in which every wall surface is a single plate that is mounted with other plates. Tubes are used to encompass the “striker” material. The instrument is not intended to be constructed as a stick or curvilinear stick, it is not intended to be played like a drum, is unplayable when scaled to a dimension of eight or more feet in length, nor is it intended to be played with muted or unmated performance variations. It is intended to be played with a circular or elliptical motion.
Thus, there is a need for a percussion instrument that overcomes the deficiencies of the aforementioned percussion instruments. There is a need for a single instrument that contains the performance elements of both shakers and drums, that is scalable and capable of generating a unique range of sounds.